Lignins provide anti-oxidant benefits and can act as a surface deposition aid in consumer goods products, such as skin treatment compositions, hair treatment compositions, oral care compositions home care compositions and detergent compositions (especially hand wash detergents). In addition, for home care applications, lignins can also provide surface modification benefits which lead to improved shine and water repellence benefits.
However, lignins are difficult to incorporate in consumer goods products due to their poor solubility in water. In addition, many lignins, such as Kraft lignin, comprise sulphur, which leads to poor chemical compatibility with other ingredients that may be present in consumer goods products, such as transition metals. Sulphur may also cause malodour problems.
The inventors have found that the above problems can be overcome by controlling the level of sulphur content, controlling the number average molecular weight, and controlling the molar ratio of aromatic hydroxyl moiety to aliphatic hydroxyl content.
The inventors have found that specific lignin oligomers can be incorporated into consumer goods products, and give benefits such as anti-oxidation, surface affinity and surface modification benefits without problems such as poor solubility, chemical compatibility and malodour.